In July of 2023, it became clear that the network needed a space to collaborate outside of the monthly meetings. Schedules did not always permit organizations to participate in monthly meetings and often did not provide enough time to really dig into deeper topics. The Washington State Gleaning Network launched a Google Groups forum in hopes that it would allow for flexible and ongoing conversations. However, the Google Groups forum was a complete flop! Only a third of network members were able to join the Group, due to issues with signing up. And some who were able to join were unable to post to it. Even those who were able to sign up and post did not engage in conversation. So, even though it seemed like a great option to start, In the end, it was not a useful tool for the network.

This was a useful lesson in what doesn’t work. That is, in choosing a tool, it’s important to consider people’s capabilities and willingness to use that tool. It’s also a lesson in flexibility because, even though it seemed like a really great idea, understanding why it didn’t work helps in pivoting to think through future solutions that may be better suited to one’s audience.